Engineering:List of Thor and Delta launches (1980–89)
Between 1980 and 1989, there were 58 Thor missiles launched, of which 56 were successful, giving a 96.6% success rate.
Launch statistics
Rocket configurations
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Launch sites
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Launch outcomes
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1980
There were 5 Thor missiles launched in 1980. 4 of the 5 launches were successful, giving an 80% success rate.
Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1980-02-14 15:57 |
Delta 3910 | 151 (Thor 635) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Solar Maximum Mission | Solar observation satellite | LEO | Success | |
1980-02-22 08:35 |
N-I | N-6 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | ECS-B (Ayame-2) | Experimental communication satellite | GTO | Success | |
1980-07-15 02:22 |
Thor DSV-2U | Thor 304 | VAFB SLC-10W | DMSP-5D-F5 | Military weather satellite | planned: LEO / SSO | Failure | Final flight of the Long Tank Thor. Failure attributed to faulty connection between second and third stages, resulting in third stage not receiving electrical power. |
1980-09-09 22:27 |
Delta 3914 | 152 (Thor 637) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | GOES-D (GOES-4) | Weather satellite | GTO | Success | |
1980-11-15 22:49 |
Delta 3910 | 153 (Thor 636) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | SBS-1 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success |
1981
There were 7 Thor missiles launched in 1981. All 7 launches were successful.
Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1981-02-11 08:30 |
N-II | N-7 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | ETS-4 (Kiku-3) | Technological demonstration satellite | MEO | Success | |
1981-05-22 22:29 |
Delta 3914 | 154 (Thor 645) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | GOES-E (GOES-5) | Weather Satellite | GTO | Success | |
1981-08-03 09:56 |
Delta 3913 | 155 (Thor 642) | VAFB LC-2W | Explorer 62 / 63 (Dynamics Explorer-A/B) | Magnetosphere research satellites | MEO | Success | |
1981-08-10 20:03 |
N-II | N-8 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | GMS-2 (Himawari-2) | Weather satellite | GTO | Success | |
1981-09-24 23:09 |
Delta 3910 | 156 (Thor 641) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | SBS-2 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1981-10-06 11:27 |
Delta 2310 | 157 (Thor 639) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Explorer 64 (Solar Mesosphere Explorer) / Oscar-9 | Atmospheric research satellite / amateur radio satellite | LEO | Success | |
1981-11-20 01:37 |
Delta 3910 | 158 (Thor 640) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Satcom 3R | Communications satellite | GTO | Success |
1982
There were 8 Thor missiles launched in 1982. All 8 launches were successful.
Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1982-01-16 01:54 |
Delta 3910 | 159 (Thor 643) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Satcom 4 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1982-02-26 00:04 |
Delta 3910 | 160 (Thor 644) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Westar 4 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1982-04-10 06:47 |
Delta 3910 | 161 (Thor 647) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Insat 1A | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1982-06-09 00:24 |
Delta 3910 | 162 (Thor 649) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Westar 5 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1982-07-16 17:59 |
Delta 3920 | 163 (Thor 648) | VAFB LC-2W | Landsat 4 | Earth observation satellite | LEO | Success | |
1982-08-26 23:10 |
Delta 3920 | 164 (Thor 651) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Anik D1 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1982-09-03 05:00 |
N-I | N-9 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | ETS-3 (Kiku-4) | Technological demonstration satellite | MEO | Success | |
1982-10-28 01:27 |
Delta 3924 | 165 (Thor 652) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Satcom 5 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success |
1983
There were 10 Thor missiles launched in 1983. All 10 launches were successful.
Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1983-01-25 02:17 |
Delta 3910 | 166 (Thor 650) | VAFB LC-2W | IRAS / PIX-2 | Infrared Space telescope / Technological research | LEO | Success | |
1983-02-04 08:37 |
N-II | N-10 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | CS-2A (Sakura-2A) | Communication satellite | GTO | Success | |
1983-04-11 22:39 |
Delta 3924 | 167 (Thor 653) | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Satcom 6 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1983-04-28 22:26 |
Delta 3914 | 168 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | GOES-F (GOES-6) | Weather Satellite | GTO | Success | |
1983-05-26 15:18 |
Delta 3914 | 169 | VAFB LC-2W | EXOSAT | X-ray Space telescope | HEO | Success | |
1983-06-28 23:08 |
Delta 3920 | 170 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Galaxy 1 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1983-07-28 22:49 |
Delta 3920 | 171 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Telstar-3A | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1983-08-05 20:29 |
N-II | N-11 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | CS-2B (Sakura-2B) | Communication satellite | GTO | Success | |
1983-09-08 22:52 |
Delta 3920 | 172 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Satcom 7 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1983-09-22 22:16 |
Delta 3920 | 173 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Galaxy 2 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success |
1984
There were 6 Thor missiles launched in 1984. All 6 launches were successful.
Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1984-01-23 07:58 |
N-II | N-12 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | BS-2A (Yuri-2A) | Direct-Broadcasting satellite | GTO | Success | |
1984-03-01 17:59 |
Delta 3920 | 174 | VAFB LC-2W | Landsat 5 / Oscar-11 | Earth observation satellite / Amateur radio satellite | LEO | Success | |
1984-08-02 20:30 |
N-II | N-13 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | GMS-3 (Himawari-3) | Weather satellite | GTO | Success | |
1984-08-16 14:30 |
Delta 3924 | 175 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | Explorer 65 (Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers-1/2/3) | Magnetosphere research satellites | HEO | Success | |
1984-09-21 22:18 |
Delta 3920 | 176 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Galaxy-3 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1984-11-14 00:34 |
Delta 3914 | 177 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | NATO-3D | Military communications satellite | GTO | Success |
1986
There were 4 Thor missiles launched in 1986. 3 of the 4 launches were successful, giving a 75% success rate.
Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1986-02-12 07:55 |
N-II | N-14 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | BS-2B (Yuri-2B) | Direct-Broadcasting satellite | GTO | Success | |
1986-05-03 22:18 |
Delta 3914 | 178 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | GOES-G | Weather Satellite | planned: GTO | Failure | Electric failure in first stage caused the rocket to lose control and was destroyed 90 seconds into flight |
1986-08-12 20:45 |
H-I | H-15 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | EGP (Ajisai) / Oscar 12 / MAEBS | Geodesic research satellite / Amateur radio satellite / Technological demonstration | MEO | Success | |
1986-09-05 15:08 |
Delta 3920 | 180 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Vector Sum Experiment (USA-19) | Experimental on-orbit ASAT test satellite | LEO | Success |
1987
There were 4 Thor missiles launched in 1987. All 4 launches were successful.
Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987-02-19 01:23 |
N-II | N-16 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | MOS-1 (Momo-1) | Earth observation satellite | LEO / SSO | Success | |
1987-02-26 23:05 |
Delta 3914 | 179 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | GOES-H (GOES-7) | Weather Satellite | GTO | Success | |
1987-03-20 22:22 |
Delta 3920 | 182 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Palapa B2P | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1987-08-27 09:20 |
H-I | H-17 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | ETS-5 (Kiku-5) | Experimental communication satellite | GTO | Success |
1988
There were 3 Thor missiles launched in 1988. All 3 launches were successful.
Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1988-02-08 22:07 |
Delta 3910 | 181 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Thrusted Vector Experiment (USA-30) | Experimental on-orbit ASAT test satellite | LEO | Success | |
1988-02-19 10:05 |
H-I | H-18 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | CS-3A (Sakura-3A) | Communication satellite | GTO | Success | |
1988-09-16 09:59 |
H-I | H-19 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | CS-3B (Sakura-3B) | Communication satellite | GTO | Success |
1989
There were 9 Thor missiles launched in 1989. All 9 launches were successful.
Date/Time (UTC) |
Rocket | S/N | Launch Site | Payload | Function | Orbit | Outcome | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1989-02-14 18:30 |
Delta II 6925 [1] | 184 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | NAVSTAR II-1 | GPS Block II [2] navigation satellite | MEO | Success | First Delta II launch |
1989-03-24 21:50 |
Delta 3920-8 | 183 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | Delta Star (USA-36) | Experimental on-orbit ASAT test satellite | LEO | Success | |
1989-06-10 22:30 |
Delta II 6925 | 185 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | NAVSTAR II-2 | GPS Block II navigation satellite | MEO | Success | |
1989-08-18 05:58 |
Delta II 6925 | 186 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | NAVSTAR II-3 | GPS Block II navigation satellite | MEO | Success | |
1989-08-27 22:59 |
Delta 4925-8 [3] | 187 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | BSB-R1 | Communications satellite | GTO | Success | |
1989-09-05 18:11 |
H-I | H-20 (F) | Tanegashima SLC-N | GMS-4 (Himawari-4) | Weather satellite | GTO | Success | |
1989-10-21 09:31 |
Delta II 6925 | 188 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17A | NAVSTAR II-4 | GPS Block II navigation satellite | MEO | Success | |
1989-11-18 14:34 |
Delta 5920-8 [4] | 189 | VAFB LC-2W | COBE | Cosmology observation satellite | LEO[1] | Success | |
1989-12-11 18:10 |
Delta II 6925 | 190 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station LC-17B | NAVSTAR II-5 | GPS Block II navigation satellite | MEO | Success |
References
- "NSSDC Master Catalog". NASA. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/sc-query.html.
- "History of the Delta Launch Vehicle". Kevin S. Forsyth. http://kevinforsyth.net/delta/.